The Council of Four Walls
by RedKinoko
Summary: A look at the secret council, the "Illuminati", that governs over all other councils in the Republic of Swartchzwald. (Uses brief references from my other stories, Glastheimspiel and Orclandspiel)


bIntro/b  
  
Legend has it that during the first breaking of the light, the Gods and the Titans alike created cards made from the pulp of the Yggdrasil's bark and the blood that runs in the veins of the Lords of Midgard.   
  
These cards were made in the image of the places and the lands that would soon grow out of the soil of Rune Midgard. The powers of the cards were unlike that of any other card, as it had the power to harness the nature of the place that it governs. They were called the Cards of the Ancients.  
  
During the first Ragnarok, man harnessed the power of the cards and became a significant force during the struggle. In the end, man's foolish decision to join the war caused the destruction of Glast Heim and the gradual decay of the lands beyond.   
  
With the Titans banished, the Gods feared that the cards would be used once more. And this time, it could be used against them. So, they silently took away the cards, hid it away from man's hands and let time make man forget about their existence. Man, unfortunately is a most resilient creature. Not everyone forgot and those few who remembered soon started to seek the power. The cards responded to such longing and soon started showing signs that they are returning to man's hands.   
  
bThe First Meeting/b  
  
Five men in heavy cloaks and a woman hidden under a veil sit around a table in a dimly-lit room with only a single lit candle in the middle of the round table. On the table are intricate carvings of Glastheimian design. The room had no doors or windows and darkness ate away the corners of the polished-garlet walls.   
  
Man #2 : Albertan Consortium and all associated merchant guilds.  
  
Man #3 : Holy Kingdom of Prontera and The Mother Church.  
  
Veiled Lady : All the Colleges of Geffen.  
  
Man #4 : Payon.  
  
Man #5 : The Old Republic of Morroc.   
  
Man #1 : Neo Emperio de la Machina, Al de Baran and the Manifest Destiny, Lutie.   
  
Man #1 (in a low and rugged voice): Good to see that everyone is here. The High Council of the Four Walls is once again in session.  
  
Man #2 : I am a person of utmost importance. I cannot bear staying away from my errands for too long.   
  
Veiled Lady (mockingly): Aren't we all?  
  
Man #3 : Then let us get this over with so we can go our separate ways  
  
Man #1 : What we are about to discuss is of no trivial matter.   
  
Man #2 : Let me be the judge of that.   
  
Man #4 : If you are still talking about the damn Payon Raid, I have already told you people my stand on this. I can no longer bend the will of my lands. Should Prontera try to initiate another raid within our territories, we WILL break off from the old alliance.   
  
Man #3 : Old fool! You of all people should know that that raid was for the benefit of the whole world. The infected merchant eluded our forces and ran into the village. Burning everyone and everything was our only hope of containing the outbreak.   
  
Man #5 : This is a waste of time. I have better things to do back in Morroc.   
  
Man #2 : Like catering to the farcical requests of the senile Shah of the Sands?  
  
(Laughter)  
  
Man #1 : Enough! We have gathered here today for one reason and one reason only.  
  
Veiled Lady : Which would be...  
  
Man #1 : The "Cards".  
  
(Silence)  
  
Man #2 : The reappearance of the Yggdrassil's first leaf in the north proved to be a hoax. Are you saying that there are more incidents like that of Lutie's Toy Factory Card?  
  
Man #1 (nods) I am afraid so.   
  
Man #3 : Which card would it be this time?  
  
Man #1 : Ant Hell's.   
  
Man #5 : You say that that is the reason why the Giearth activities have completely ceased this past few months?  
  
Man #2 : Hah! You wouldn't know the reason even if it were an uprising in front of your doorstep.   
  
Man #5 : You mock me with no weight. Alberta shouldn't even be here.   
  
Man #2 : Watch your tongue, Morrocan. We may have lost the bid for the sandman's ruins but we still control the ports to Comodo.   
  
Man #5 : You control those ports simply because the council practices mercy for its weaker members!  
  
Man #1 : Silence you two! There are two other black cards that have resurfaced. They are as, of now, unclaimed.   
  
Veiled Lady : The Orcland Card and the Sphinx Card.   
  
Man #1 : That is correct, milady. I see the scouts of Geffen still haven't lost their keenness for queer events.   
  
Vieled Lady : The colleges only do what they feel is in their best interests.   
  
Man #3 : A war against the Orcs has already been started to prevent the card from falling into the wrong hands.   
  
Man #4 : Killing the Archduke was quite brilliant. Now the people of Geffen are willing to tear apart even the helping hands that aide them against their green-skinned neighbors. I lost an entire squad of my best snipers when some quick-fingered wizard blew up their caravan on the way to Geffen.   
  
Veiled Lady : T'was a big mistake that shall never be repeated.   
  
Man #4 : Damn straight it shouldn't be. Those are my best men and women out there getting killed for some report of a non-existent card.   
  
Man #2 : Two points for Payon. First point, you know as well as I do that the card exists. It has shown its potential within the clocktower before and that potential is set to move after some time. Second point, should the card manifest its true powers, not even your silly forest teepees will be spared from ravenous green-skins drunk with the card-wielder's aura.  
  
Man #4 : Both points taken but stricken out due to irrelevance. I was merely stressing Geffen's need for a new leader. The people of that city no longer know their p's from their q's  
  
Man #5 : Like a pet without a leash.  
  
Man #2 (turns to Man #5): Better without a leash than to have one tied to a desert tree that hardly even moves.  
  
Man #5 turns to Man #2 with anger.   
  
Veiled Lady : Replacing a beloved Archduke would take time and effort. You should try killing the leaders of your state sometime. I am, however, doing my best to create a new persona that the crowds would learn to love once more. People nowadays are getting hard to persuade.   
  
Man #1 : I have faith in you three, Payon Prontera and Geffen, in resolving the Orcland issue as a team.   
  
Man #3 : What of the card from the western ruins?  
  
Man #1 : The most powerful card yet uncovered is being protected by the fallen titan himself. My scouts are yet to return from their mission. I doubt that they would do so intact. The fallen titan would let no soul into his domain. And though he may not be planning on using the card himself, the mere re-existence of the card is suspected to be the cause of the sudden reappearance of the other ancient cards all over Midgard.  
  
Man #3 : So Glastheim is waking up from its slumber?  
  
Man #1 : Not until after the tournament. Not until "he" wins.   
  
Man #4 : What then after the tournament?  
  
Man #1 : We go to war.   
  
Man #3: A war you say? Yet another one?   
  
Man #1: This one is different. Either we stand together or we all fall before the might of the forces of Glastheim. The gears of war have started to turn.   
  
Man #4: I have already committed a significant portion of the free forces to the green-skin campaign. Should I pitch in on what you are saying, none will be left to safeguard my borders from those greedy bastards of Prontera.  
  
Man #3: You are starting to sound like the "lambs". Territory should be the least of our concern.  
  
Man #2: What about the tournament? There must be some way around the full-scale war that you are talking about.   
  
Woman in Veil: Yes. The situation in West and South Geffen is already getting out of hand. Another war would be the last thing the sovereignities would want.  
  
Man #1: I have already arranged some of my men to enter Glastheim's tourney. I wouldn't be counting on them though.  
  
Man #3: I did not know there was a card involved but I too have sent one of my trusted lieutenants.   
  
Man #5: We all know that the game is but a charade. The castle is still the one who decides on its next master.   
  
Man #3: I find no harm in trying. And besides, my entrant willingly volunteered himself after finding out that "he" was in the contest.   
  
Man #1: Nevertheless, you all have three months to prepare your flocks. I shall call another meeting during that time.   
  
Man #1: We all know that there is no certainty in stopping Glastheim's rise. Hence the need for preparation.   
  
Man #5: Hmph. Glastheim would be the last force that we can think of right now who would have the guts to launch a theater of operation in the desert.   
  
Man #1: The undead need not eat nor drink. To them, your lands are no more different than ours at the north.   
  
Woman in Veil: I can only guarantee comittment from half of Geffen Colleges.   
  
Man #1: We would be needing more than that.   
  
Man #3: Three months is too short. We have not enough arms for every able-bodied man in the Kingdom. If you could recall the First war of Orcland fifteen years ago, capable fighters died without a fight simply because they were still waiting the sworded person in front of them to drop their weapons and die.   
  
Man #2: I can commit a six hundred golems worth of logistics every month. No more, no less.  
  
Man #4: Are you mad? That's wouldnt even dent your reserves.   
  
Man #3: What would Payon's part be in all of this??  
  
Man #4: I shall retrain my reserves but I wont be joining your alliance just yet. Not till the Glastheim Card gets a bearer.   
  
Man #1: You seem pretty confident, Payon Overseer. What have you got up your sleeve?  
  
Man #4: The Royal House of Payon has already found somebody capable of assimilating the Payon Card.   
  
Man #1: Three months.  
  
(All) : Three months. 


End file.
